The present invention relates to an anchorage adapters, systems and methods for use in fall protection, and, more particularly, to anchorage adapters, systems and method for use by personnel working at a height in a wide variety of settings in which anchorages of differing types are present.
Fall protection systems including safety harnesses and lanyards are commonly used as parts of fall protection systems for persons subjected to the potential of a fall from a height. Typically, a lifeline or lanyard is connected to an overhead anchorage. However, in some cases (for example, steel building erection, bridge work, pipe rack erection and maintenance, leading edge work, etc.) suitable overhead fall protection anchorage may not exist.
In cases in which no suitable overhead anchorage is available, it is typically necessary to create anchorage for fall protection. For example, the DELTA FORCE(trademark) temporary horizontal lifeline system 10 available from Dalloz Fall Protection of Franklin, Pa. is illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2. Horizontal lifeline system 10 includes stanchions 20 that attach to an upper flange 110 of, for example, a steel beam such as an I-beam 100. Several stanchions 20 are attached to beam 100 and are spanned by a horizontal lifeline 200 to which a person""s lanyard can be attached.
Although flanged beams such as I-beam 100 are used throughout the construction industry, it is desirable to develop an anchorage system that can be used in a wide variety of settings, even when flanged beams are unavailable.
In one aspect, the present invention provides a system for anchoring a lifeline for use in fall protection including a support member for the lifeline. The support member includes a first connector to attach the support member to a first type of anchorage. The system preferably further includes at least one adapter having a second connector to attach the adapter to a second type of anchorage. The adapter includes an anchorage of the first type to which the support member can be attached.
The first connector can, for example, attach to a flange of flanged beam such as an I-beam. The first connector can attach to opposing sides of the flange. In one embodiment, the first connector includes at least one clamp to attach to a first side of the flange and an extending member to clasp or attach to a second, opposing side of the flange.
The second connector of the adapter can, for example, attach to reinforcement bar in concrete. In one embodiment, the second connector includes at least one bracket to fasten to a reinforcement bar. Preferably, the second connector includes a plurality of brackets, each of which fastens to a reinforcement bar.
The adapter can further includes at least one adapter flange to which the first connector of the support member is attachable. In one embodiment, the adapter includes a first adapter flange extending from a generally vertical member in a first direction and a second adapter flange extending from the generally vertical member in a second direction generally opposite from the first direction. The first connector attaches to the first and second adapters flanges as described above. The adapter can also include at least a third adapter flange extending from the generally vertical member at an end of the generally vertical member opposite of the first and second adapter flanges. In one embodiment, the adapter includes a fourth flange extending from the generally vertical member in a direction generally opposite of the third flange. The third and/or fourth flanges can operate to stabilize the adapter when attached to a concrete beam from which reinforcement bars extend.
In another aspect, the present invention provides a system for anchoring a fall protection horizontal lifeline including a plurality of support members for the lifeline. Each of the support members includes a first connector to attach the support member to a first type of anchorage. The system further includes at least one adapter for each support member. The adapter includes a second connector to attach the adapter to a second type of anchorage as described above. The adapter also includes an anchorage of the first type to which the support member can be attached.
In a further aspect, the present invention provides a system for anchoring a fall protection horizontal lifeline including a plurality of support members for the lifeline. Each of the support members includes a first connector to attach the support member to an I-beam. The system further includes at least one adapter for each support member. The adapter including a second connector to attach the adapter to concrete reinforcement bar. The adapter also includes an anchorage to which the first connector can be attached.
In another aspect, the present invention provides an adapter for attaching or anchoring a support member for anchoring a fall protection lifeline. The support member includes a first connector to attach the support member to an I-beam as described above. The adapter includes a second connector to attach the adapter to concrete reinforcement bar and at least one flange to which the first connector can be attached.
In still another aspect, the present invention provides a method of anchoring a fall protection lifeline to different types of anchorage. The method includes the steps: providing a support member for the lifeline including a first connector to attach the support member to a first type of anchorage; and providing at least one adapter including a second connector to attach the adapter to a second type of anchorage, the adapter including an anchorage of the first type to which the support member can be attached.
The adapters, systems and methods of the present invention greatly increase the number of environments or settings in which fall protection anchorage supports can be used. In general, a lifeline support is provided which is attachable to one type of anchorage. A common type of anchorage is a flanged I-beam. One or more adapters of the present invention can then be used to attach the support to anchorages of different types (for example, to a concrete beam reinforced by rebar). A plurality of such adapters can be provided to connect the support to a plurality of anchorage types. Such adapters can be used singly or in combination to extend the environments in which the lifeline support is usable.